Before we talk about that, I suppose I should talk about why I think planning is important.

I know there are people out there who seem to manage their lives in a delightful fashion with no planning at all (if you’re one of those, you won’t find this post to be even faintly helpful!), but I am not one of those people. If I don’t plan my life, I usually feel overwhelmed, disorganized and stressed, and I am not nearly as productive.

Planning helps me to

manage my life more efficiently

have a more cheerful attitude (being less stressed makes me much more happy!)

live my life in a way that reflects my priorities (when I fly by the seat of my pants, the tyranny of the urgent takes over, and my theoretical priorities sometimes fall to the wayside).

So, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, disorganized, stressed, and behind, I highly recommend investing some time in planning.

When I don’t plan a menu, I waste way, way, way too much time trying figure out what to have for dinner (time thinking of a meal, time searching through the pantry trying to find something to make, time making a run to the grocery store to get ingredients, and so on).

I feel stressed out (needing to decide what to eat for dinner is like a black cloud hanging over me all day!), and I am much, much more prone to giving in to takeout temptation. I’m also much more likely to overspend at the grocery store because I overestimate what we need. Of course, this leads to food waste, which is money waste.

Even if you do no other kind of planning, do give meal planning a try! You can always stop if you find that it doesn’t work for you, but odds are good that you’ll be hooked once you try it.

To-Do Lists

My day-to-day planning method is very, very simple and very, very free.

I just find a piece of scratch paper (the back of junk mail letters, a paper my kids cut up, the back of a drawing my kids don’t want, etc) and list the things I need to do that day.

I usually start by listing the high-priority things (school with the kids, making dinner, supervising piano practice, daily blogging work, supervising my kids’ room cleaning), then the medium-priority things (edit photos, clean out email inbox, make a phone call) and then round the list out with other things I’d like to get done (write an extra blog post, do a sewing project, organize a closet).

Having a list each day helps me not to forget things, but it also helps me to use my time more efficiently. When I finish a task, I don’t have to waste time wondering what I should do next…I can just consult my list.

And you should never underestimate the mental health benefits of being able to cross things off of your list. I find that to be quite euphoric, myself…a list with crossed-off things helps me to see that I really did get something done!

Longer Term Planning

Day-to-day to do lists are great, but I also feel like I need more of an overview type of planning (the credit for this idea goes to the Mahaneys, from Sovereign Grace Ministries).

For that type of need, I leave the kids and Mr. FG at home and head to my local Atlanta Bread Company. I bring a notebook (the paper kind!) or the laptop and I plot out a plan to help me fulfill my various roles. I think about how I can better bless my husband, how I can serve and train my kids better, how I can grow in my walk with God, and so on. I write down my ideas and plans and come home refreshed, inspired, and equipped with a plan to live out my priorities.

Other Planning

I do several other types of planning as well….lately I’ve been planning my blog posts instead of blogging by the seat of my pants, and that’s been very helpful (I haven’t missed a single Wednesday Baking post since I started doing this!).

Getting Started

If you’re inspired now and want to hop on the planning wagon with me, there are two bits of advice I want to leave with you.

Worry less about the system and more about the actual planning. You don’t need special notebooks, a pile of forms, or an electronic personal planning device…you just need to think about life ahead of time. Devices won’t do the planning for you, so don’t get hung up on choosing a complicated, time-consuming method. A piece of paper and a pen will do just fine.

Start small. If you’ve never planned a thing in your life before, pick one type of planning to start with. If you try to make a menu plan, a monthly to-do list, a daily to-do list and a Christmas gift idea list all at once, you’ll be overwhelmed and will want to quit. If you take it slow and gradually incorporate more planning, you’ll be much more likely to stick with it.

P.S. Please keep in mind that this post and the others in this series are about what works for me. If you have another way of managing your life, stick with it! You need to do what works for you*. I am simply sharing the things that help me to manage my life in the hope that these ideas will help someone who is struggling.

Comments

I currently have a notebook in my lap (next to the laptop) with my food planning. I fold the paper in half. Meals go on the right side and the shopping list breakdown on the left. This way I don’t forget ingredients needed.

I, too, am a list-a-holic although there are some things I don’t use them for and probably should!
I couldn’t handle a week without a menu plan! I have some fantastic menu planner/shopping list pads from Organised Mum in the UK and I find that using these saves me
a) time (because, like you, I eliminate the “what shall we eat? what have I got?” and
b) money (because as I meal plan/cook, I can maintain my shopping list for the next shop.
Without lists, we’d be living on toast and junk food!
I must extend this list-mania to more areas of my life really.

I’m with you on this – I get stressed out and overwhelmed if I’m not planning ahead. I use a paper calendar with a full page for each day so that I can see my to-do list for each day. If I think of something that doesn’t need to be done right away, I can put it on a to-do list on a future date. I also made up a planning list last year with dates for Christmas – in October I order my Christmas cards, etc. – this way I’m not feeling crazy and overwhelmed in mid-December – for once it’s working!! It’s been a work in progress for the last few years.

I’m with you on lists, and ticking things off lists! Some days are so busy and full of all the things you do with small children, but then you can get to the end of the day and wonder what on earth you actually accomplished that day! So ticking stuff off a list helps me feel that I got stuff done.

By the way Kristen, I don’t think you need to have a disclaimer each time you write an opinion post. I think it’s obvious in your style that you’re not demanding your readers to act just like you.

I also menu plan, but not quite as structured. I have a fairly large pantry with stocked items, a second freezer and large fridge so there is always something to eat. I keep a running list on my phone of meals I have all or nearly all the ingredients for in the house, plus meal ideas from my husb, and go to that list to help me figure out meals for the week. We always have leftovers, so 3 or 4 dinners will be enough for the week with leftovers. Its not set in stone, so I can decide on any given day what item we are having that night. It gives me enough flexibility.

Because I have little kids, 3 under age 6, my sons are autistic and my daughter is, well, 2! I still run in survival mode some days. but some are better. I still assume I won’t get anything besides child care done most days, and I always surprise my self. I try and visualize the day, starting the night before and then again while in bed in the am, of what exactly are my priorities for the day. IS it laundry, cookies, cleaning, gardening, or? I have a few things I focus on, and that gives me exactly what I need to do during those minutes in between kid stuff.

Some stuff for me has specific days, like laundry. I do it on Mon and Thurs, usually. And it is completely washed, dried, folded and put away on that day, and then I don’t have to think about it again for a few days. Other days I pick a room of the house and deep clean it, so everything gets a once over at least every other week. Some areas like the kitchen and bath get done more.

I also rely on the large desk top calendar that hangs on the fridge, everything goes on it. I always say, if it isn’t on there, it isn’t happening! And I have a dry erase board on the fridge too for my daily goals plus any important happenings for that day.

Thanks for this post! I’m normally more of a fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of girl, but I’ve been changing my way of thinking lately.
I have 2 small daughters (2 & 8 months) and the time devoted to them doesn’t seem to leave a lot of time for much else. I create a menu plan each week, then take a grocery list and my menu plan to the store with me – I tend to overlook things sometimes, so this helps me make sure I don’t forget anything!
One other thing I’ve done that has made a big difference for me is to break down my housework. So for example:
mon – laundry, sweep & wash kitchen floor
tues – sweep, vaccuum & dust living room/main floor, clean powder room
wed – laundry, dust vaccuum & tidy top floor (bedrooms/hallway), and empty household garbage bins for collection the next morning
thurs – clean main bathroon & ensuite, sweep & wash kitchen floor
fri- laundry, tidy & vaccuum basement/rec room

Yes, I have 3 laundry days and 2 days washing my kitchen floor, but with 2 babies learning how to use utensils, it gets quite messy here sometimes! I’ve found doing it this way is far less stressful for me asI can get it done while the girls are napping.

I’m definitely going to try the longer-term planning though, as there are things I’d like to start doing more or focusing on more, but never feel like I have the time for. Maybe this will help clarify things for me.

I’ve started to notice that I’ll often get about as much done on a day without a to-do list one without. The difference is that is a to-do list day feels accomplished, and a day without feels like I’m running around like a chicken with my head cut off.

Do you ever put things on a to-do list that are fun for yourself to make sure you get some “me time?” If not, I highly recommend it.

Well, I bow to your ability be be list-less AND productive! I can’t do it.

I do make sure to get fun stuff into my days…I take pictures all the time, which I love, I go to bed early to read with Mr. FG, and I get some quiet time to myself in the morning before the kids get up too.

I don’t know that I put that stuff on my list, though…maybe I get around to that stuff because I want to and so I don’t need to list it?

I totally agree! Some days I feel like I didn’t do anything, but in reality I kept the house from burning down, kids fed and watered, diapered, toileted, beds made, etc. Just being able to see my few crossed off items makes me feel better.

I rarely get to do things just for me, so jealous! But I try and work something fun into “my job”. I have to run errands so we get to eat and wear clothes, but I may plan in stopping for a coffee or hot cocoa while out and about. And I never take kids along, they stay with dad. That in itself is a huge treat!

Menu planning is a life-saver when you work and get home at 6:30! Takes the stress level waaaay down. I can cook on autopilot if I’ve had a tiring day at work, but trying to come up with a meal idea then was awful. And going to the store right after work is horrendous. We eat better now and save a lot of $$$. I keep a box of Annie’s mac and cheese in the pantry for desperation days.
I’ve always been a list-maker but mostly for daily or weekly stuff, and I’d like to use it more effectively for longer term goals and finances. Would love to hear more details of how you use planning in those ways.

I couldn’t agree with you more It’s a LOT easier to physically make dinner than it is to THINK about what to make for dinner after a long day at work. There are some days when I’m tired and dinner isn’t planned and I just want to cry! Definately motivation for planning ahead!

Also, I second avoiding the grocery store after work (5-7 pm). Holy moly. It is a ZOO.

I love lists…..probably because I seem to have a bad memory…lolol….I have a list for the items in my freezer, I have a list for the items in my pantry, I have a list of the books I have read, I have a list for books I might want to read, I have a daily list and a month at a glance calendar, I have menu lists, I have shopping lists….on an on…

I’m not much for lists and planning, but I have been converted to meal planning for weekdays. It’s a total lifesaver! My plan is not fancy or detailed, but just knowing what’s for dinner takes a huge weight off my shoulders.

Now that you’ve made me think about it, I suppose that planning in a few other areas might just help me to feel less overwhelmed as well…

I am a list-maker and calendar keeper, and it’s the only way I can feel like I am on top of things. If I don’t have my daily & weekly lists I feel scattered and disorganized. But I have such a hard time keeping track of the long-term to-dos. I can manage the daily and weekly on scrap paper & in my calendar, but if it doesn’t have to be done this week it gets lost. I can easily make the list of the long-term goals & projects, but haven’t found the best way to keep track of that list. I was even thinking about blogging about how I can’t manage my long-term list. After reading this, I think I am going to try dedicating a pretty notebook to my long-term list. Thanks for this!

Hey Kristen,
Thanks for this post. I for one am the “fly by the seat of your pants” type of person and when I plan things out and then have to adjust or try to force myself to follow the plan I get stressed out. I think it’s because of the business I am in, real estate sales, and you just never know when your going to get the call to go show a house or list a house.

I forwarded your post to a good friend of mine who has similar tendencies to what you mentioned to to tell her I can appreciate the way she is. She and I are working on a project together and we are working our way through figuring out how mess our personalities to accomplish a good end product. Wish us luck! I relate this to marriage and I do not think God puts to people together that are just alike but are opposites so they can compliment each others weaknesses to create a wholeness. That’s the kind of thing I will be writing about on my blog at http://www.thefollowerthatleads.com. Thanks again

I just want to say a huge thankyou to you, for all of your helpful ideas. Your blog, has truly been a blessing to my life. I am a list maker, and could not keep my family of six running smoothly otherwise. I love the idea to go somewhere alone to refresh your mind when doing planning. I think I may just have to give it a try. Hugs to you. Juli

I loved your post,today! I am a fanatical list maker. I have a purse sized notebook that I keep my daily and weekly to do lists in. It also contains list for items I am searching for at thrift stores/garage sales, on going grocery list, holiday lists, blog ideas, goals, etc. If I ever lost my notebook I would not be able to function. It is very gratifying to be able to cross things off my list as I get them done. It’s kind of funny; the other day I watched my 14 year old daughter (who has thought it is so funny that I am constantly scribbling in my notebook) grab a notebook out of our school supply stash, and start making a list of homework assignments that need to be done! I guess we do teach our kids by example!

This was so timely. I was thinking today that I was just frittering away my time. During our busy season I don’t need to plan because our well established routine gets us through the days with few glitches. Without the routine we would be dead meat and our Tripadvisor.com reviews would be horrible. During the slower season I’m not pressured and let things slide too long. It is time for me to get cracking on the punch list of fix ups and chores that we do in the winter. Thanks for the push.

Just another thought, I have a Blackberry and use the memo function for shopping lists. It is in my pocket most of the time so I can put things on the list when I realize we need something. Used to be that I think of things while cleaning a guest room and forget about it until I cleaned that room again. My spouse laughs at me but tells me when he wants something on the list. I used to loose my hand written lists in stores but I won’t (I hope) loose my Blackberry.

I don’t cook dinner or plan the meals, my husband is in charge of that. He keeps his list in his head.

I love the listmaking and planning; it’s the actual follow through with which I have trouble!

Re. the euphoria you feel from crossing things off your list, as I recall, I read someplace that research has shown we actually do experience a shot of endorphins from doing so. Which is why if you do something that wasn’t on your list you should add it so you can cross it off! Unfortunately, I don’t recall where I read that so that I can give the reference.

I am not a born planner or list maker. I have to fight with myself to do it and organization is not a strong suit for me. My best advice to those with the same tendencies towards disorganization is to start slowly. If you have never heard of her, Google “FlyLady”. She’s got a great system to help people who are prone to be scatterbrained procrastinators. I don’t follow everything, but there’s a lot of great advice and inspiration there. Great post!

Thanks for the great post. I’m new to your blog, so I’m reading bunches of old posts. It sounds like what you are describing is not just list making but also strategic planning. Very impressive! Companies pay big bucks for skills like yours. No wonder you are such a great wife and mom!